Happy with how I’ve done: England’s Moeen Ali announces Test retirement

Moeen Ali, England’s bowling all-rounder on Monday announced his retirement from Test cricket, the game’s longest format. This announcement brings an end to his 64-matches Test career. Moeen made his Test debut in 2014 and since then scored 2914 runs at an average of 28.29. He also got 195 wickets under his belt at a strike rate of 36.66.

“I’m 34 now and I want to play for as long as I can and I just want to enjoy my cricket,” Ali said.

“Test cricket is amazing, when you’re having a good day it’s better than any other format by far, it’s more rewarding and you feel like you’ve really earnt it.

“I will miss just walking out there with the lads, playing against best in the world with that feeling of nerves but also from a bowling point of view, knowing with my best ball I could get anyone out.

“I’ve enjoyed Test Cricket but that intensity can be too much sometimes and I feel like I’ve done enough of it and I’m happy and content with how I’ve done.”

Only pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad took more Test wickets for England in Ali’s time in the side. The off-spinner was the 12th greatest wicket-taker globally in that period.

As a spinner, he hit his peak between 2017 and 2019. In 2017, he scalped a total of 26 wickets at 15.64 against South Africa, claiming a famous hat-trick at the Oval. The next summer he took home 32 wickets across six Tests against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Having batted from No.1 to No.9, Moeen Ali first earned his national call up in 2016, during which he scored 1,078 runs at 46.86 for the calendar.

Four of his five career centuries came that year and was placed as high as third in the ICC Men’s Test ranking for all-rounder.

The all-rounder thanked his coaches and family alike for their support throughout the journey.

“I have to thank Peter Moores and Chris Silverwood for being my coaches and Peter for giving me my debut. Cookie and Rooty as the captains who I’ve enjoyed playing under and I hope they are happy with how I played.

“My parents are my number one, I feel without their support there is no way I would have made it, every game I played was for them and I know they are really proud of me.

“My brothers and my sister, on my bad days they’ve been the first to pick me up and my wife and kids, my wife’s sacrifices and the patience she has, I am really grateful for that.

“They have all been amazing on my journey, everything I did I did for them.”